Match-making machinery.



A. KELLEY. MATCH'MAKING MACHINERY.

APPLICATSON FILED SEPT. 18, 1914.

Paiented Jan. 18, 1916;

9 SHEETS-SHEET i.

Jlexandr KeZZey- A. KELLEY.

MATCH MAKING MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18. 1914.

1,168,310.. I Patented Ja11.18,191($.

' 9 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Q g Q Qwuewtoz- (flexwzderfildgy 3& I l

" I h I abtovnfi A. KELLEY.

MATCH MAKING MACHiNERY.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18, 1914.

1,168,310, Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

ESHEETSSHEET 3- ch (R W flkxwzafer K lley A. KELLEY. MATCH MAKING MACHINERY.

APPLlCATlON FILED SEPT. 18, I914.

Patented J an. 18, 1916.

'9 HEETS-SHEET 4.

A. KELLEY.

MATCH MAKING MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FILED sEPma, 1914.

1,168,310. Patefited Jan. 18, 1916.

ssHszrs-suw s A. KELLEY. .MAT CH MAKING MACHINERY. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I8, I914.

Patented Jan. 18, 1916. I 9 SHEETSSHEET 6- I v (6 a QIbimawnao 1 (f; r Relies,

Mom;

A. KELLEY.

MATCH MAKING MACHLNERY.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18, I914.

Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

A. KELLEY.

MATCH MAKING MACHINERY. APPLICATION men sums. 1914.

Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

9 SHEETSSHEEI 8.

' wide novel 2%? 1:2. Ev l @ie EXQEQ GTON, DELAWARE, essxemozt T cL MA'X'MAoEINE On, Dem A GORPQRATIGN 0e DELAWARE.

li'IATCH-I/IAKING IVIACHINERT' 531$ Specificatien of'Letters Patent. lP-gtnigd E an. i8 1 9 fi Application lea. Septemiwer 1 8, 1914;. Serial No. 362,368. i I

Z'o all ii/ 10727, if 2721913 607256172- 4 lire-steel to the eonveyer. Fig. 7 is e detail Beit known that l,;; LIiEfiA.\'1)Ell lmLLEY, perspective View of the cutter whereby the citizen of the l m ted tit-Lites, IBSlCLIIlg at splints are divided into match lengths. Fig.

"Wilniington, in the county 0; New Castle 8 is an enlarged detail sectional elevation of 5 and State of Deiawez'e, have iniented certhe same mechanism. Fig. 9 is scietailver- 60 t'ain new and i imprevements in tical sec ion onthe line 9-9 of'F-ig. 8; Fi Match-Iiielcin 3", (if-which the foL 10 is ,adetail perspective view of a grooved 'lmv'ing is a s1) plate which is interposed between the con- My im i s to "match-making Yeyer end the'tehie' shown in Fig. 4:. Fig 11 nmchinezy em primi i to pi'ccluee is an elevatienof the discharging mecha- 6 an apparatus e, either fennel or nism. Fig 12 is a detail perspective-view of square nmtches 3 he produced as (ICC- v the yoke Whiei 'nct's t0 i'elease the finished sion may tlemen's. v snatches fromthe conveyei'. 'Fig". 13 14 A further e'aj ee i 01": the i; vention is to are detail sectional views showing the opera- 15 in'ovi lea C0113 ver ct' siicirc-onstmction that tion of this yoke in. engaging the conveyer it will retain ei fissile 11? square match and eles'sing'the matches thereiil'em. Fig. splints Witintut enj; change in the constrne- "15 is :1 detaii perspective View (if in additien oz" thecsniev 'tienal device for discharging the matches Other objects 0 invention are to are-i frcn the cenveyer, Fig. 1 6 is a detail pern h. the spective View sf one member of-the con- J eyer. Fig. 17 is greup 0f perspective nbjects news showing the constituent elements of s involve the said inember' of said. eonveyer separated which CZDViRfi and app eximete fy in their prsper relative V I productive positions, Fig; 31 i a detaii perspective eeenom i of space View of one section the match-engaging unfit-rec in member showing same inverted relative The 1 invention are to the position illastratedin Figs. 16 and 17. attained in 1 the character Fig-19 is a cross sectienal view 0f :1 portion 39 illustrated i swings of the conveyes: and the track upon which Whig-h illns" thesame is suppertei Fig. 20 is a detail eievationQei a poet-i021 efjsaid track 01' supportfer the COHVGBTVEi. Fig. 531 is a detail machine are pers ective View a: the. convey-3:" support.

' heieinni and the'novel Fig, is iewsimiler to Fig. 38 hut-slim features ei srtieiilerif; he eonveyer relativity meme.- pointed out in ieilowieg the .iieferring first to ig's. 1; mild l, a ale pti fin fox-ailing sound-match splints is' A i inclzcated at the said .ieieehine being of 1 {mil i any Well-known 0r preferred detail eonstruc- 3 tion. end'inclmiing in its structure means ferinserting; the splints into the conveys indicated at A. drum or relier file-is ar- ZiifkO'i-"Q the said machine and receii'es if a complete pi'e rements.

tive iew 0? steel; or Yenec the as 1 the thrust by which the splints inserted an 1 into the eonveyen A secohel drum. e1 feedthe same roller 4: is mis'ngeflebcve the-inechine at is: of the front side. of the same, and this roller is driven by bevel gearing, indicated at 5, 105

"ilelii'erevl in ever a tortuous 133th around a multiplicity of supporting and driving rollers which are supported upon posts 10 or any other convenient frame possessing the requisite strength, the said conveyer being of sufficient length topermit the splints to be dipped and thoroughly dried before they are discharged, as is usual and will be readily understood. After leaving the machine, indicated at 1, the con eyor carries the splints over a heating table 11 and dips them slightly in a tank 12 containing parafiin or a similar coating composition,

' the splints are carried to one or more tanks 13 and 14 continuing a composition for forming the match heads. The splints are dipped in the compositions i'n'the usual man.

nor andta leveror operating rod 15 is provided and connected with the rollers supporting the conveyer adjacent the tanks so that, when so desired, the conveyer may be shifted to carry the splints free of the tanks and thereby permit the splints to be dipped v only once, or more frequently, as maybe required by the particular style of match being made. In the course of its travel the conveyer eventually reaches a discharging mechanism, shown at 16, and by the, action of this dischargin mechanism the treated splints are release from the conveyeras finished matches and may then be carried to machines for boxing them or may be made into packages byhand. After leaving the discharging mechanism the conveyor is carried up and over guide pulleys 17 and 18 and from the last named guide pulley it passes to the feeding drum or roller 4, as shown.

Upon reference to Fig.1,it will be noted that the convcyer passes around rollers150.

and 151 supported on arms 152 projecting from rock shafts which are mounted on .the sides of the tanks. These shafts are pro vided with crank arms 153 connected by a tanks. once, the link or rod 154 is disconnected at rod .154 and the lower rock shaft is provided with an additional crank arm or lever 155 to which the end (if the rod 15 is pivoted.

The rod 15 will, of course, be long enough to extend within convenient reach of the operator and it will be readily understood that a pull on the rod will swing .the arms 152 so as to lift the convever above the lf it be desired to dip the splints 160,0n said rod. When the rod is-inoved'in' one direction, one tappet will engage the arm after which '159 and move the same so that the conveyer will'be-lifted and the splints will clear the tank. On movement of the rod in the oppo site direction, the other tappet will engage the arm 159 and the conveyerwill be lowered to dip thesplints.

,Between the discharging mechanism and the splint-formingmachine 1, I arrange a feeding table 19 upon'which is shown a hopper 20 of proper dimensions to maintain sheets of veneer, indicated at 21, in proper position. to be engaged by the feed belt or apron 22. A weight23 is preferably placed pile of veneer sheets so as to serve upon the a as a follower'and hold them against buckling so that they will. be successively and positively the apron 22,. While the particular detailed construction of the hopper 20,. may be varied, I prefer to construct it, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2, in the'fo'rm of" an open-top box, the

front and rear ends of which terminate sli htly above the feed-table so as to provide a s 0t of such a height that just one sheet of veneer may pass therethrough and the lugs or feed bars 241 are of corresponding height so that they will positively engage the end of the said sheet and force it positively from the hopper to the feeding and cutting rolls.

The u s 24 are spaced apart a distance equal to t e one 111 eaves a sheet, the succeeding lug will engage the end edge of the next sheet of veneer. 2

The feeding -apron is mounted upon drums or rollers 25 which are supported in suitable bearings upon the feed-table and the shaft of one of the "said drums or rollers is equipped at one end with a ratchet wheel 26, which is engaged by apawl 27 carried by an arm 28 loosely hung on the shaft. The arm 28- is connected b a link 29 with a crank arm 30 on the she t of a feed roller 33 Whereby the apron will be actuated with a step by step movement-as will presently appear. prefer to use two feed aprons which run over rollers 220 which are mounted in any convenient manner on. the feed table and sustain the weight of-the stock. The. particular form of the feed-table is, of course, subject,

to variation in its details but I prefer to construct the sides of the same of angle iron, as shown at 31, 'and secure, upon the said sides, plates 32 which will aid in mains taining the ri idity of the frame and'will be so arrange apron. At the the top of the table is smooth for a short distance but is recessed upon its under side to accommodate the lower feed roller 33.

'Theshaft of this'feedroller 33 is extended as to leave proper openings for engagement of the stock by the feeding discharge end of the hopper engaged bythe lugs or feed bars 2410a gth of the veneer sheets so that as Y Y crumed loosely at arm of said angle lever I pivot a connecting rod or link 89, the lower end of-Which e11- gagesan eccentric l0 driven by the shaft 9 through suitable gearing including a belt 300'. It Will thus be readily seen that While the upper teed roller is positively actuated through the lower feed roller and will rotate simultaneously tl11\ it-h, the movement of these feed rollers is not continnous but is intermittent or step by step and a like move? ment is imparted to-the "feeding apron so that the sheet of veneer will be fed to' the slitting knives and the cutting mechanism at such intervals and through such a distance as will be necessary to produce splints of the desired length and feed them positively into all of the successive sections or members of the conveyer. immediately adjacent the feeding rollers 33 and 3'? and between the same and theconveyer provide the upper and lower slitting knives or rollers ll and The lower slitting roller or knife extends up through slots in the table and the edges of these knives slightly overlap so that the of veneer will be cutentirely through. These slitting rollers, as will be readily understood, consist oi central shafts having rigidly secured thereon a plurality of disks arranged close together and having their peripheral edges sharpened so as to cut through the stock. The shafts of both i rollers dent led behe table and .re equiuped I l3 an, -l that y and siniult-ane- (y direction" to cut through 1 shalt of the lower hnit'e'is ext ooth sides ot the b e and is equipped with a s t .'t which ca on ,Wuons rotatio and o di -charge and of! a e their 5 ith interinesn n gears be positively and simulrotatcd to feed the re r the lower feed roller i8 is et wheel i n which is suitably inounter mg or support for the feet i roller and to which pivoted a link 52 extending to and livoted to the pendent arnxof angle s l 4. i .4 lei er 8. I thus provide Ior the proper n'e ss desired for the match splint.

. iacent and in alin-ernei t a reciprocating cu simultaneous step by step niovement of both pairs of said rollers so that there Will be no pulling nor buckling ot' the separated splints due to possible ditlerences in'the speed of the ditlerent feed rollers.

As before stated, and shown most clearly in Fig. 3, the top of the feed table is smooth between the hopper and the feed rollers and 3'? but just beyond the knives 4-1 and th allel and longitudinally of the table for a short distance and then diverge as shown clearly in Fig. l and in said grooves I insert edgewise vertically disposed guide top of .tlie table has grooves 53. formed therein. These grooves extend parstrips or rails 5a whereby chutes or troughs narrov: strips each strip being of the thickstrips emerge from the knives they will pass between the rails 54 and" will be thereby diverted laterally so as to be positively separated, and in the further travel of the stock the strips will be entirely independent and not connected in a sheet in any Way. The ends of the rails 5% enter the mouths or flared extremities of tubes which are secured in any convenient manner upon the feedftable and terminate immediately adwith. grooves 57 formed the top of plate 58 which is secured to theirazne the machine 1 and bridges the space between the teedtable 19- and theconveyer. At the ends of this guide plate 58 l secure to the frame of the naclnne As the 1 orlo any other fixed support brackets or guides 59 and 60 .which receive and support the ends of re procating cutter til by the operation. of winch the sev ral strips sup; ported by the grooved plate 58am severed into splints of the desiredi length. This 'ter consists of a bar or-heacl block 62 and a cutting plate '53 secured to one side of the same, the said, plate 68 having its lower formed into a series of teeth it projecting below, the edge of the head bio-cit 52. as clearly shown in Figs. T,

8 and he block b2 and the cutting plate til-3- are secured together by screws 65 inserted through them and the are provided with cts 66 which are engaged by led on thebrackets and 60 :hereby thecutter is guided and its moveniitcd. Between the end of the n 'et or housing .60 and the adjacent end, utter l provide'springs 68 which t the cutter and the opposite ter is beveled, as shown attlil a. roller 70 at the upper end tend to projec end of the cut to in of be engaged 0", an (31395511113; any

this

1 supported vertically n1- 1 1 t. i re ovvei enc. is to one iso arm of an angle lever 72, the opposite end of which is equipped with a. roller 7 3 riding upon a cam 74' which is actuated through' suitable. gearing from the main driving shaft 9, as will be readily understood. A guard plate 75 is secured upon the front side of the brackets 59 and 60 so as to prevent injury to the operator by this filtter and within each supporting bracket we provide a wear plate 76 which fits between the rear wall of thebracket and therear side of the head 69' and is adjustable toward the said head by means of screws 77, as clearly shown in Fig. 9, whereby wear upon the.

cutter may be taken up.

It will be'readily understood that as the cam 74 rotates, the projection 78 thereon rides against the roller73 and vibrates the angle lever 7250 as to impart a lift to the rod 71 which carries the roller '70 at the upper end thereof against the bevel face 69 of the cutter and thereby forces the cutter in against the spring 68. The splints are;

thereby severed horizontally and as they are at this time supported by the grooved plate 58 and the conveyer, breakage or splitting of the splints is minimized. The springs 68 hold the beveled or inclined face 69 of the cutter constantly in contact with the roller 70 and by their expansion move the cutter outwardas the lifting rod 79 is lowered, and the strength of the springs, acting with the weight otthe said rod,

1 should be sufiicient to effectually return the cutter to its initial position from which it is drivenby' the lifting Qrod under the influence of the cam 74 and the angle lever 7 2. The several parts thus far described are so timed that the reciprocating cutter 61 acts in the period of rest between two intervals of the feeding of stock to the conveyer, and the stock is fed step by step in the intervals between 'the successive actions of said reciprocating cutter. The stock is fed in such manner that when one sheet of -'yeneer leaves the hopper the next sheet will 4 are so arrangedfand timed in their 0 oration immediately commence to move and the end of this second sheet will abut the adjacent end of the first sheet so that there will bea constant supply of material to the reciprocating cutter andthe conveyer; The feed rollers will exert suflicient'pressure on the stock to force it from the grooved plate 58 into the conveyer where it .will be held momentarily while the horizontal cutter severs the same into splints and the. conveyer will thenbe fed forward a sufficient distance to bring the next section into alinement wlth the grooves of the plate 58'so that a second series'of splints will be fed into the conveyer and severed from the stock. The parts that the section of the conveyer to e filled will be brought into the plane of a radius oi; the feeding drum 4 and in aline nentwith the grooves of the plate 58'at the proper toward the conveyer by the feeding rollers.

The feeding drumf or roller 4 thus not only serves to actuate thefconveyer but also receives the thrustQf the stock so that the section of the conveygpto be filled will not yield under the movement vofthe stock but will positively engage and hold the same.

While I have shown the" feedingtable the members of the said pairs of links. I

prefer to employ a chain consisting of a plurality of links arranged side'by side in each section as shown most clearly in Figs. 19 and 22, and upon the inner members '79 of the said links I provide boxes 80 which receive theends of the carrier bars 81 constituting the base members of the conveyer sections. As shown clearly in Figs. 16' and 17 these boxes 80 may be conveniently formed by providing a lateral tongue 82 upon' the link member 79 which tongue is provi d with wings or extensions 83, the said wi gs or extensions 83' being folded up and inwardly over the tongue ,82 so as to provide an angular box or holder in which the end of the base bar 81 maybe readily inserted. The conveyer members are preferably con- -structed each in-three similar sections 84,

jinstant to receive theend's of thestrips fed sections extending between and carried by each section comprising anangular base portion 85 adaptedto fit closely around the base bar 81 and a circular portion 86 above the said base portion 85, t e said circular portion being formed by extending and expanding the side members of the base '85 so that the' said circular portion may fit closel around analinemeat or abutment rod 87, shown in Fig. 17, and is shorter than the base bar 81 so that the projecting -'ends,of the said base bar may engage the boxes or holders 80 without any interference from the he said rod is cylindrical, as clearly abutment rod. Above the circular portion" 86 the conveyer members are brought close together to form coaeting jaws-88 which lie 7 against each otheradjacentltheir' free longitudinal edges or have-said edges at least as close together as their inner edges sothat, when splints are inserted, the jaws will be parallel and lie fiat against the splints to firmly hold them irrespective of their size or 1. shape. The longitudinal free edges of the sections are flared,as shown at 89, so as to facilitate the entrance of a match splint be- "ween jaws and to guide the said splints the grooves formed in the inner tacos 1 aws or list abutting portions 88 the sections. As the sections will preferably orr'ied of sheet metal these grooves may i -t be pron 9 t 91. I" t will also .1

ends of the grooves as the strips of sto late'oiey "will pass willhe -rroly grippct V jaws 3S. 47 Hits have been severed the conieyer is set in motion so that the splints will he carried through the'paraliiii coating coniposition and subsetpieiitly dried in the usual The rm manner as to form the matca'es. 8?" serves as a brace to reinforce and port the expanded portions be of the carr ons and also provides a fulcrum up lch portions and the jaws 88 11' or resiliently bend in the act of op' a or 6108131 It also receives the thrust rrier from any cause.

t to be noted that the sections of my coni'eyer will receive and hold round match splints as Wll as square splints Without involving any changes in the construction. Inasmuch as the jaws are held toward each other by the resiliency of the sections and are-flat so that they come into intimate contact, as shown in Figs. 16 and 17, they will firmly grip and hold the splints whether they be round or square, and. inasmuch as the splints are positively clamped by the conveyor members the operator may produce either style of splint or match as may be re quired without being under the necessity of establishing two complete plants. ,V hen it is desired to produce square splints the improved feediiig and cutting m chanism here in described and shown is operated While the machine for forming round splints is permitted to remain at rest. When it is do sired to produce round matches it is necessary for the operator merely to place the stock in the machine 1 and shift the actuating gearing so that the machine 1 will be set in operation. Openings 92 are provided in the base portions of the sections 8% so that if desired fastening screws may be inserted therethrough into the base b. 81 and thereby rigidly secure the sections to the base or carrier bars. Ordinarily, llO'WEY EI', the pro visions of the alinement bar or rod 8? above or at the outer do of the base or carrier bar wi l serve to prevent the sections of the con toy member slipping out of place that the use of the fastening screws is not lutely necessary. It is to be noted that the members of the conveyor are formed in three sections so matshort dies may be employed in IZIQDUIES-Ctll should a sccti' the remaining ease or carrier l The base or 'n the box: A

her.

i 1 ii 63. as the convex v ry lonelil order that the .e 'ioroiighly dried before d. ad l ble to provide some form of or support between the several gui :le rollers over which theconveyer travels In my machine 1 ploy bars 93 which exte id between ai ment posts of the suporting; structu;

linlzs may ride yeyer members i as shown in Figs. 19 and 2 These rollers will be preferably s apart a distance not exceeding the p two adjacent links so that they will lRILLlIJ support the chaili ivithout undue friction. When the coiii'eyer reaches a portion o its run, in

which ti o are upturned, as shown in Fig. i. prom angle bars 95 hating their horizontal hanges iut rncd to project under the linlrs and tracks upon which the pro ecting; points 96 of th links may slide.

The ivei 'ht of on er and the splints J will thus proptb conveyor guided ato marked out for the. same.

V suppor (1 through the p The travel brings the trea dischai' the le discharging mechanism coin supportin frame on which 96 over which a ed generally by 1. This irises a suitable ..ecnred a table belt or apron 37 tra 'els, the

said belt or union being disposed below the main conveyer and arranged to receive the matches therefrom as they discharged.

The coinjcyer may deposit the matches in a convenient receptacle or may be extended so d an'iagcd may be as to feed them into a boxing machine. The main conveyer passes under guide rollers 98 and 9,9 which are mounted'in suitablebea'rings upon the supporting frame and which cause the conveyer to travel in a substan-- tially horizontal path parallel with the apron 97. The guide roller 98 isactuated through a pinion 100 engaging the crown gear 101 upon the end of the feed roller, and

carried by the upper end of a shaft 102 which is equipped atlits lower endwitha crown gear 103 operatively engaging a earn 104 carried by a shaft 105which 1S driven by the belt or.- chain .300 actuated from the shaft'9, By reason of the described 'gearing the guide roller 98 is given an 1nterm1ttent or step lay-step movement corresponding to the movement of the conveyer which is im arted to the same by the feed roller 1. T ie'apron'or belt 97 is, of course, supported by suitable rollers in the endsof the table 96' and upon the shaft of one of these rollers is secured a sprocket wheel 106 around which is trained a sprocket chain 107 which also passes'around a sprocket wheel 108 on the shaft 105, whereby the said apron 97, is continuously operated. Slidably mounted in suitable guides on the supporting frame is a yoke or vertically movable frame 109 which is provided at its lower end with rollers or bearing surfaces 110 engaging cams 111 secured rigidly upon the shaft 105. The ac:

tion'of'the; said cams obviously, will be to w impart a vertical intermittent reciprocating motion to the yoke 109 as the shaft-rotates and the said 'yoke carries at its upper end Spreaders 112 which are adapted toengage between the jaws 88 of the conveyer members and thereby separate the said jaws so that the matches engaged and held by them will be rev leased and be permitted to drop onto the apron 97. These spreader-s consist of plungers orplates carried by a cross bar 113 at action is clearly illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14,- of the drawings; The number ofspreaders may be varied to suit the desires of the operator but I prefer to employ two spread- Jers for each section of a conveyer member,

the spreaders engaging the jaws of the said sections adjacent the ends thereof and be tween the splints so that the jaws may be positively separated with a small number of Spreaders. Itwill be noted that the spreadersjact directly on the same members which hold the splints and operate between the ends of-the jaws so that the will, be

positively, opened and the splints vreleased. The spreading of the jaws in the manner described and illustrated in'Figs, 13 and '14 will generally be sufficient to-releas'e- -theg'oing description, taken in connection with once V the ta is and are positivelyseparatedas 3 the secondfeed roller-s thesesti'ips are forced match splints so that they W1ll- Iall upon the apron 97,- but sometimes the splintswilltend to adhere to the jaws underthe action of\th e heating antd drying mediums 'dnd'in orderf to overcome this tendency and'provide for a 5 positive and thorough discharge of all the matches I employ a supplemental discharg ing device in the formof a hammer. or tap-Q pet 115 which is pivoted between its ends-to the supporting structure and is provided-at one end with a head 116 adapted to strike or a tap upon a rim provided for that purpose on the end of the feeding roller 98, the opposite end of the tappet carryingra roller 117 which, rides-upon a cam 118=carried by a shaft 119 mounted upon the supporting structure between the rollers 98 and 99 and equipped Will; a sprocket wheel--fl=120 connected by a chain 121- with asprocket Wheel uponthe, shaft-1.05;

The action of the cam is so timed that the projection; thereon will lift the head 116 at intervals andlafter the cam projection clears I I the hammer the said head will fall upon the; drumfimmediately over a conveyer section and impart a jarring b oiv thereto which will eject the matches rom the conveyen As the conveyer is endless; the members 'of- :1

the same which have been freed of the matches will be carried to, the feeding drum ,95; or roller 4 and there receivea fresh supply of the splints which will be carried through the several dipping and drying operations and finally discharged, as will be readily understood, the operation of the'apparatus being continuous and the' cyclejbeing repeated unti-l all of the stockhas been used or the demand for the product of the machine has been met.

It will be readily noted from the forethe accompanying drawings, that I have provided an apparatus in which either round or square splints or (matches may be produced without requiring any reorganization 110 or reconstruction of the plant andan op-' erator will'thus be enabled to meet the demand for either round or square matches withoutbeing under the necessity of installing two complete plants and without having a large capital rendered idle at any time owing,to the.. ,sl ack' demand for one style of matches. ig The stock is fedto the first feed rollers ai'ids engaged .by them so f I I i as to pass over the Teed table with a'step 9 v by step motion and during each period of l I i t c 4 travel Wlll move. a dlstance corresponding to the length of the match to be produced. a

The rotating slitting knives separate the stock, as hereinbe toremstated, into a large number of finemstrips' and vthese strips; at J ter the guidespn theflupper side of theym'ove to the conveyen Emerging from ille {lilustinent the reciprocating cutter may be effected inuny convenient or desired inan nor and various Ways of accomplishing this result will readily a. themselves to toe skilled nieclfianic. l have preferred in practies, to mount the Musings, which support the end of the cutter on slides which may be moved y ar ting screvvs or worms. Inasmuch as' the siii .s oi the stock are positively separated be are they reach the convey r they will be spaced apart so as to readily engage the grooves in the javvs on the conveyer and will thereby be positively liv andouiclzly clamped K said vs.

It is to be noted that the guard plate 75,.

which is arranged in advance of the reciprocating cutter extends entirely across the feed table and bears 'n the plate 58 so that the splints are positively held at the point Where they enter the conveyer and consequently will be efiectually prevented from splitting or breaking when acted upon by the said cutter. lhe cutter has a shearing action upon the splints and as it moves very quickly will inakea clean sharp out without tending to break the splint. I further guard against breakage of the splint by providing the cutter with teeth corresponding in num her with the number of splints being acted upon so-that each tooth acts upon one splint accomplished Without any loss of material. The cutter may be made in sections it preferred and such construction will reduce the cost or" up-lzeep of the machine. The angular. box on the conveyor chain engaging an angular base bar efiectiially prevents the several conveyors from moving about their respective points of connection with the chain so that the members or" the conveyor will come to rest in proper positionto receive the splints and to discharge the finished matches and will hold the splints in proper position to be headed, dipped or dried durthe travel of the conveyor. Furthermore, as the members or" the conveyor are thus held against rotation about their several points of connection with the conveyer chains, contact or the match heads during the process of drying i prevented so that adjacent matches Will not be liable to stick together and the loss now frequently due to this cause will be avoided.

It is to be understood. that I donot limit myself to the precise details of construction herein described shown many or strip and the cutting operation is quickly be made therein Without tie the spirit or scope oithe ns defined 1n the i'olloW- he invention, What machinery, the comornnng means, or a inovingpast SlfiillhiiOlnllllg lllQtillS iilitl (301111?" Slllg 'llilSfQl.

said members comprising an elastic strip so bent that substantial longitudinal fiat portions a ljacent their ed es are brought toward each other more closely at the outer portions and normally bear against each other making machinery, the (30111- bination with splint forming means, of a conveyer moving past said silint forming means and adapted to receive splints therefrom and comprising separate endless chains, carrier bars COHIlEClLlIl said chains, and a pair of coacting splint-engaging jaws fitted around and carried by each. of said carrier bars.

3. The combination or chain links having inwardly projecting boxes thereon carrier bars fitting frictionally in and extending between corresponding boxes, and splint-engaging jaws fitted upon said carrier bars.

l. The combination of 'chain links having angular open ended boxes projecting 1 inwardly therefrom, angular carrier bars having their ends fitted .in and held by said boxes, and a splint holding member embracing said bar and having opposed coacting resilient j avvs.

5. A conveyor for match splints comprising a carrier bar, a rod disposed above the carrier bar, and a splint engaging member embracing the carrier bar and the rod and terminating in opposed j aws beyond the said rod.

6, A. conveyor for match splints comprising a carrier bar, a splint holding member having a base, portion fitted to the said carrier bar and expanded laterally above the some and terminating above said expanded portion in resilient opposed splint-engaging jaws, and a rod extending through the ex panded por ion of the member above-the carrier bar.

T. A conveyor for match splints comprising a series oi carrier bars, a series of; rods disposed above the respective carrier bars, and splint-holding members each consisting portion -aving angular engagewith a carrier bar, an expanded porse .uieinbers,

tion fitting around the rod above said bar, and 'opposed jaws extending from said expanded portion and having flared terminal edges and provided with splint receiving grooves in their opposed inner faces,

j 8. The combination of a conveyer 2 for match. splints comprising a series of splintengaging jaws consisting of sprin strips spannmg several splints andyieldab e to ac.-

coi'nmodate different thicknesses of adjacent sphnts, means for feedin'g'the conveyer stepbylfstep, and means external to the conveyer :Jkf'enter between the jaws at a plurality of points in the lengths ofsaid strips and sepameans for feeding the conveyer step by step,

rate the jaws during the successive intervals of rest, said means being proportioned to "permit the lines of the splints to pass on each side thereof.

9. The combination of a conveyer for match splints comprising a series of splintengaging jaws, said jaws consisting of a plurality of alinedspring strips spanning several splints and yieldable to accommodate different thicknesses of adjacent splints,

and means external to the conveyer to enter between the jaws at a plurality of points in the length of each of said strips and separate the jaws during the successive intervals of rest, said means being proportioned to per- -mit the lines of splints to pass on each side thereof.

10. A conveyer for match splints comprising a carrier bar, and a plurality ofopenended sections fitted around said bar and constructed with splint-engaging jaws.

11. A conveyer for matches comprising separate chains, a carrier bar connecting said chains, and a sheet metal splint holding member constructed with an angular base portion embracing the carrier bar, said member having opposed jaws provided with flat 

